A rising tide: Energy efficiency now employs 2.25 million Americans

Looking for a job or smart investment? The energy efficiency field is an increasingly good bet for workers and financiers. Here’s why: new data show it employed 2.25 million Americans last year — more than the combined total of jobs to produce coal, oil, gas, and electricity (including renewables).

These data are contained in the 2018 U.S. Energy & Employment Report (USEER), compiled by the National Association of State Energy Officials and the Energy Futures Initiative, a nonprofit think tank founded by former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. The groups secured private funding to continue the report, which the US Department of Energy had previously issued in 2016 and 2017.

“Over the last three years, the most surprising finding has been the sustained growth of energy efficiency jobs,” the groups said in releasing their report, noting a 3% increase from 2016 to 2017. Their release said the efficiency sector has “flattened electricity demand, driven greenhouse gas reductions, made American manufacturers more competitive and created millions of jobs….”